Power angling bullgrader



SePt- 10, 1953 R. Y. HERMlz 3,400,767

POWER ANGLING BULLGRADER Filed July 2l, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Il lllllllllllll Sept. l0, 1968 R. Y. HERMIZ 3,400,767

POWER ANGLING BULLGRADER Filed July 2l, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O Y 3,400,767 i POWER ANGLING BULLGRADER Ramiz Y. Hermiz, Melrose Park, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation lof Delaware Filed July 21, 1965, Ser. No. 473,654 7 Claims. (Cl. 172-805) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Power angling bullgrader having-a supporting frame with longitudinal side arms, a blade angulatinglysupported on the front of the frame, longitudinal struts `trailing from pivots on the blade ends, a cooperating slide and slider interconnecting the trailing end of the strut at each side of the bullgrader and the side arm at that side, a lock on each slide and slider, including a power cylinder and a pin operated thereby to lock the slider in selected longitudinal positions on the slide, and a power cylinder to pivot the blade, when the lock pins unlock same, into a selected position of angularity.

This invention relates to bullgraders and more particularly to a type known as power angling bullgrader in which the blade is shiftable angularly of the longitudinal axis of the implement; i.e., so as to shunt the load to one side or another of the path of the implement.

It is an object of the invention to provide in such an implement power actuated means for shifting the blade including releasing the blade from one position of angular adjustment, moving it to another position of adjustment, and securing it in the latter position.

A second object of the invention `is the provision of means for distributing the load heretofore borne to a great extent by the power means for shifting the blade, thus lessening wear and tear thereon and increasing the stability and efficiency of the implement.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the basic hydraulic system of such an implement in the actuation of such means, thereby saving time, labor and expense.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from the description which follows.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a schematic view in perspective of a tractor equipped with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section along the line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View in the direction indicated by line 3 3 of FIG. 1, illustrating a different position of adjustment;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematic plan view of an embodiment of the invention with the blade of the implement indicated (broken lines) in selected positions of adjustment;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the invention comprises a C-frame 11 having rearwardly extending, generally parallel sidearms 12, 13 whose end portions 12a, 13a are adapted to be received in conventional sockets (not shown) supported on the frame of a tractor for pivotal movement about a common horizontal axis. Transverse portion 14 of C-frame 11 is conventionally arranged to support a blade unit 15 for pivotal movement about a vertical axis through pin 16. Conventional linkage 17 is provided for maintaining the C-frame in selected positions of adjustment in relation to said horizontal axis.

Actuating means in the form of a conventional hydraulic cylinder 20 is operatively arranged between C- frame 11 and blade unit 15 in selected spaced relation 3,400,767 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 with pin 16 to shift blade unit 15 angularly to positions of adjustment as indicated in broken lines-to the right and to the left.

Upper and lower strut assemblies 25, 26 have a forward end portion 27 connected at 29, 30, respectively, to blade unit 15 for universal movement in relation thereto, and a rearward end portion 31 supported for universal movement in relation to ball joint members 33 of slide assemblies 34, 35 carried by sidearms 12, 13. The slide assemblies are operatively connected with a conventional hydraulic system of the implement and arranged to operate selectively to adjust the position of blade unit 15 in angular relation to the'longitudinal axis of the implement. This is accomplished through coordinated operation of the hydraulic cylinder 20 to shift blade unit 15 and slide assemblies 34, 35.

Slide assemblies 34, 35, which comprise a housing 36, are arranged for sliding movement along the sidearms 12, 13, to and from selected positions of adjustment, in the following manner.

Sidearms 12, 13 comprise channel members 40 on which are mounted rails 41 provided with spaced holes or pin sockets 42 and Haring side portions 43 disposed and arranged to provide slideways 44 for the slide assemblies.

Slide assemblies 34, 35 are correspondingly arranged. Housing 36 thereof comprises opposed side wall members 45, 46 to the upper portions of which top plate 47 is removably secured by bolts 48. The lower portions of members 45, 46 are arranged conformably with rail portions 43 for sliding relation therewith in mortise and tenon fashion.

The underside of plate 47 has a central cutaway portion 49 which serves as a seat for the upper end of a coil spring 50 which is disposed centrally of housing 36 for actuation along a vertical axis.

Interiorly of the housing 36 a slee-ve bearing 51 is arranged for receiving a loading pin 52 coaxial with spring 50, in up and down slidable relation between predetermined limits, the lower end of spring 50 being seated in a cutaway portion 50a of pin 52. For this purpose pin 52 has an enlarged circumferentially extending portion 52a providing shoulders 52h, 52e. Sleeve 51 has an enlarged portion 51a to accommodate vertical movement of pin 52 in the desired path. Upward vertical movement of pin 52 is limited in relation to sleeve 51 by spring 50; downward movement, by shoulder 51b.

Spring 50 is arranged normally to bias pin 52 in its lowermost position.

Oil seals 51d are arranged adjacent opposing faces of shoulders 51h, 52h to provide an intermediate oil-tight compartment 70 into which hydraulic iluid may be introduced in a conventional manner to move pin 52 up- Wardly against the bias of spring 50. To this end fluid inlet 71 is provided in sidewall 13, a suitable connection 72 being provided between inlet 71 and the conventional hydraulic system with which cylinder 20 is associated.

Sockets 42 of rails 41 and side arms 12, 13 are provided with sleeves for receiving a closing pin 62 of diameter corresponding with that of pin 52 in slide bearing relation.

Sleeves 62 are closed at their lower end by a bottom plate 63 which has a central bore 63a for receiving a bolt 64 in vertical slidable relation, `the upper end of bolt 64 being threaded in pin 62. Plate 63 has a central cutaway portion 65 which provides a seat for one end of a coil spring 66-relatively weaker than spring SO-the other end being similarly seated in the lower end of pin 62.

Spring 66 and the associated parts described are so arranged to operate that pin 62 is normally biased in uppermost position (FIG. 3) when its upper end or nose 62a protrudes from socket 42 slightly upward of the upper surface of rail 41; upperward movement of pin 62 in relation to the outer surface of plate 63 being limited by bolt head 64a. A scraper ring 6211 carried by pin 62 is arranged to provide a close, exibly slidable relation between pin 62 and sleeve 60.

Slide assemblies 34, 35, rails 41, pin sockets 42, and their associated parts are so conformed and arranged to operate in relation to one another and to the aforesaid hydraulic system, including cylinder 20, that when a slide assembly is in operative position on a rail 41 intermediately of sockets 42, but stationary-no hydraulic pressure being applied-the lower extremity of pin 52 under pressure of spring 50 will bear upon the upper surface 44 of rail 41, and the noses 62a of pins 62 under pressure of spring 66 will protrude slightly from sockets 42.

When it is desired to angle or shift blade unit to a selected angular working position hydraulic Huid under pressure is applied to cylinder accordingly. Fluid under pressure is then introduced into the fluid compartments 70 of slide assemblies 34, 35 to overcome the bias of spring 50 and release the slide assemblies for movement along rails 41. Force applied through strut assemblies 25, 26 and 27, 28 and ball joint members 33 then causes corresponding movement of the slide assemblies along rails 41.

When a desired position of adjustment is substantially reachedthis will normally coincide with approximate registry of pin 52 with a socket 42 and pin 62-hydraulic pressure on pin 52 is withdrawn. Pin 52, under pressure of spring 50, will ride upon and overcome the bias of pin 62, and upon registry therewith enter socket 42, thereupon to hold the slide assembly with which it is associated in the selected position of adjustment.

To provide resilience and smoothness of operation when the slide assemblies are shifted along rails 41, the nose portions of pins 52 and 62 are bevelled as at 52e, 62e, so that as a pin 52 approaches a socket 42 and a pin 62, the heavier loaded pin 52 will ride upon the pin 62 to depress it without substantial shock or jolt, entry of pin 52 into a socket 42 being withheld until withdrawal of fluid pressure as above indicated. Upon such withdrawal pin 52 will enter the next socket 42 reached in its movement, it being noted that movement of the slide assemblies through operation of cylinder 20 will continue notwithstanding the withdrawal of fluid pressure upon pin 52.

As is of course apparent, slide assemblies 34, and their associated parts, in a sense, complement one another. When blade unit 15 is angled in one direction or another both slide assemblies are shifted correspondingly but in opposite directions, one forwardly, the other reversely, of the rail with which it is associated.

The application of uid pressures to cylinder 20, compartments 70 and pins SZ-and withdrawal therefrommay be accomplished in a conventional manner through the utilization of well-known hydraulic means.

It will be Ireadily understood that the invention not only eliminates much time and labor in the manual adjustment of pins in prior art structures but enables the use of larger blades and quicker angling of them. Additionally, it has the advantage of transferring much of the load in the various operations of the implement from the hydraulic cylinder to the load pins. Thus the invention greatly augments the eiciency and productiveness of the implement.

The modification of FIG. 5 represents generally a reversal of the slide assembly arrangement of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, in which a sliding element 81 is adapted to slide along the top or the side of a C-frame 82. In this arrangement there is no closing pin such as pin 62. But the C- frame 82 is provided with a housing 82a having wall members 83, 84 whose end portions 83a, 84a provide a slideway for slide member 81 which carries a balljoint 33 as in the case of slide assemblies 34, 35 and has a recess 82 providing a socket for locking pin S5. Pin 85 is arranged for sliding movement in sleeve 86 supported in housing 82a. Spring 87 biases pin S5 to locking position as shown in FIG. 5 when in registry.

The configuration of pin and sleeve 86 and the arrangement of housing 82a generally are similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 3. Inlet 88 provides for the introduction of uid under pressure to overcome the bias of spring 87 and retract pin 85 in like manner as in the case of pin 52.

As in the case of the first described form of the invention the modification of FIG. 5 provides a simple and effective means for accomplishing the stated objects of the invention including the provision of efficient readily operable power means for angling the blade unit of a bullgrader to and from selected positions of adjustment and for securing the blade unit in such positions and releasing it therefrom, in a manner which shifts the work load of the blade unit in substantially a direct tension and compression path from the pivot means employed in the angling operation to the securing means.

The foregoing description is to be taken as illustrative merely of the invention, and not as limiting, it being clear that there may be a variety of forms within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. Power angling vehicle for grading or dozing work comprising:

a tractor having a supporting framework carried therea C-frame having side arm members pivoted to reaction points on the supporting framework at the sides of the tractor, said members having generally fore and aft extending parallel axes;

a lockable blade connected to angularly swing in a horizontal plane relative to the C-frame, and having blade portions integrally extending from a frame connected intermediate blade section to opposite sides of the tractor;

fore and aft extending strut members -disposed at the 4respective sides of the tractor, in substantial longitudinal alignment with the respective side arm members and each pivotally connected to the adjacent blade -portion at that side, to collectively constitute la substantially direct tension and compression path between said blade portion at each side of the tractor and the framework reaction point at that side;

lockable means disposed one on each side of the tractor for locking the blade, and each comprising a cooperating slider element and slideway element therefor, connected to the strut and side arm members and slidably related for movement of adjustment axially on the side arm member to accommodate to swinging motion of the blade, each of said connections between a slider element and strut mem-ber comprising a pivotal connection;

lock devices individual to the lockable means comprising a pin movable transversely to the axis of the adjacent side arm member into interengaging relation between registering means in the slider and slideway elements, at least one element having an individually selectable plurality of such registering means, and a remotely controlled power cylilder for interengagingly and disengagingly moving the pin between interengaged and disengaged positions relative to the selected registering means, for adjustably locking the lock device to hold the lockable means and lock the blade at a desired angle of adjustment; and

a power cylinder for pivoting the blade in a horizontal plane when unlocked.

2. The invention of claim 1, characterized by a power cylinder on the vehicle to pivot the C-frame up and down.

3. The invention of claim 1, the strut members characterized by strut assemblies each connected at the front end to the adjacent blade portion and extending convergently rearwardly therefrom.

4. The invention of claim 1, the slider and slideway elements characterized by:

a housing having opposed sidewall members arranged for sliding movement along the slideway;

a generally tubular sleeve extending vertically of said housing centrally thereof;

said pin carried by said housing within said sleeve, for limited up and down sliding movement coaxially within said sleeve;

means on said sleeve, said sidewall members, and said pin in cooperative relation with one another for limiting up and down movement of said pin; and

spring means in said housing normally biasing said pin in lowermost position;

said power cylinder `comprising means hydraulically operable upon said pin to overcome said bias and retract said pin to uppermost position.

5. The invention `according to claim 4, characterized by' The invention of claim 1, characterized by:

each pin arranged for limited up and down movement along its longitudinal axis and having spring biasing means;

said pin having a circumferentially enlarged portion dened by upper and lower opposed shoulders in predetermined spaced relation with one another, said spring biased pin `being spring biased to lowermost position;

sockets in said slideway elements arranged in predetermined spaced relation with one another and each having a closing pin arranged therein for limited up and down movement along its longitudinal axis;

each closing pin being spring actuated in uppermost position;

each closing pin in its uppermost position having an end portion protruding upwardly slighty beyond the upper slideway surface;

each spring biased pin having an end position receivable in said sockets in releasable interlocking relation;

said spring biased pin and said closed pin being so conformed and arranged to operate that upon coming into contact 'with one another as the blade is angled, the lower end portion of the spring biased pin will override the opposing closing pin.

7. The invention of claim 1, the slider and slideway elements characterized by:

a housing;

a generally tubular bearing sleeve arranged in said housing;

said pin 4arranged in said sleeve for limited sliding movement coaxially therewith;

spring means in said housing biasing said pin to a projected position;

said power cylinder comprising hydraulically operable means in said housing in operative communication with the hydraulic system of the tractor for overcoming the bias of said spring means and retracting said pin, and comprising means on said sleeve and said pin in cooperative relation with one another and arranged to operate in response to fluid pressure to overcome said spring means and upon withdrawal of such pressure to yield to s-aid spring means;

said pin under said spring bias being engageable with corresponding means on said slideway element releasably to secure said slider element and said blade in selected positions of adjustment; and

Said pivotal connection between the strut `and slider comprising a ball joint member providing for relative angular movement therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,311,553 2/1943 Tourneau. 2,412,574 12/ 1946 French. 2,687,586 8/1954 Dickinson. 2,904,910 9/ 1959 Armington. 2,943 ,i407 7/ 1960 Long. 3,03 8,268 6/1962 Vivier 37-156 3,210,869 10/1965 Hein 37-8 3,295,878 l/ 1967 Houvener 92--24 X ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

50 A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner. 

